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(Model-l M. P. ISMAY.

DOOR L-ATOH 0R 011301;. No. 320,790. Patented June 23, 1885.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OF ICE.

MATTHEW PARKER ISMAY, OF NEWVGASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND.

DOOR LATCH OR CHECK.

fiPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 320,790, dated June 23, 1885.

Application filed January 93, 1885. (No model.) Patented in England January 5!, 1885, No. 331.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MATTHEW PARKER IsMAY, druggist, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at l Sydenham Terrace, in the city of Newcastleupon-Tyne, England, have invented a certain Improved Latch or Device for Retaining Doors in their Closed Position, (for which I have made application in Great Britain, No. 331, dated 9th January, 1885,) of which the follow ing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to secure a simple and efficient apparatus for latching doors or retaining them in their closed position, so that while they can be closed with ease and with but little noise, they will not be liable to accidentally open, and so that should the door be not quite closely pulled to, it will still' be retained in its closed position. The opening of'the door from one side can be effected by simply pushing the door in the proper direction without the necessity for operating ahandle. For this purpose the latch or retainer, constructed according to this invention, consists of a series of recesses or teeth, with one or other of which, when the door is closed, a pawl or 1atch picce engages, the recesses or ratchet-teeth being held in the door frame or post, and the pawl or latchpiecc being carried by the door, or the reverse, the said parts being held in contact with each other by means of a spring or springs or their equivalents.

In order that my said invention may be be fully understood, I shall now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in the figures.

Figure 1 represents a part of a door and its frame to which a device constructed ac cording to my invention is applied, the said figure showing the door in the position in which it is when being closed and just as the latch or retainer is about to come into action. Fig. 2 is asimilar view, but showing the door closed.

A is a box fixed on or to the door post or frame, and in this is a sliding rack, B, held in its projecting position by the springs G. The rack B is formed with recesses I) at its upper part. Upon the door is secured a pawl or latch-piece, D, hanging upon the pin (1. As the door is being closed, this pawl D trails along the series of recesses b, and when the movement of the door is stopped the said pawl drops into one of these recesses. When the door is moved in opening it, the pawl D pushes the rack B down against the action of the springs C, so that although it requires but little pressure to close the door, a comparatively large-pressure is required to to open it, and there is no danger of the door becoming accidentally opened. If the door should not be closed quite closely, provided it be closed sufficientlyfor the pawl to become engaged with one of the recesses b, toward the outer end of the series, that will be sufficient to retain the door in its closed position.

I do not limit myself to placing the rack B and case A on the door-frame and the pawl D on the door, as the position may bereversed-that is to say, the pawl may be on the frame and the recessed piece and case be on the door-and the details may be varied without departing from the nature of my invention-J01 example, the pawl may be made to yield instead of the recessed piece, if desired.

Having now described and particularly as certaiued the nature of my said invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- The combinatiomwith adoor and the frame thereof, of a pivoted latch secured to one, a sliding rack secured to the other, andaspring for holding said latch and rack in contact with each other, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATTHEW PARKER ISMAY.

\Vitnesses:

R. A. BOWMAN,

l Loraine Terrace, Gateshcad, Low Fell.

JEREMIAH VAN GAIEL,

61 Maple Street, Newcastle-epon-Tune. 

